Team India are set to lock horns with arch-rivals Pakistan in their second group-stage match of the Asia Cup 2025 at the Dubai International Cricket Stadium on Sunday (September 14).
The match will be played amidst the heightened tensions between the two nations following the Pahalgam terror attack and the retaliatory Operation Sindoor earlier this year.
Despite the calls for boycott, the BCCI agreed to play against Pakistan in the continental showpiece. The Indian board’s stand to face the arch-rivals aligns with the government's new policy.
As per the Union Sports Ministry's notification issued last month, India can play Pakistan in "international and multilateral events", but can't engage in "bilateral sports events in each other's country".
Ahead of the fixture, BCCI Secretary Devajit Saikia has wished the Indian team all the best, saying that their win will be a befitting reply to all the negative forces working against the country.
“For tomorrow's game BCCI wishes all the best to Indian cricket team. They will do their best to win the match so that it can be a befitting reply to all the incidents which we don't want to remember for long. India although have to play with a country with which we don't have good relationship. But still we have to play multinational tournament as per the policy of the government of India,” Saikia told India Today.
“Therefore, we cannot refuse to play a multinational tournament which will be against the spirit of the game. We fully honor the spirit of the game and participate in any international or multinational tournament so that nothing takes place against the interests of our players and about our various sports disciplines,” he added.
India and Pakistan might face each other twice more in the ongoing Asia Cup, provided both teams make it to the Super 4s and final.
The Men in Blue registered a commanding nine-wicket victory in their Asia Cup opener against the UAE on Wednesday (September 10). On the other hand, the Men in Green kicked off their campaign with an emphatic 93-run win over Oman on Friday (September 12).
